Apparatus for concentrating acids



Aug. 19, 1952 w. G. SEE

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING ACIDS Filed April 9, 1946 az @j JMJ m5 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 Y y 5T-2.607,661flf., i APPARATUS' Foa coNcENr' Walter'G." See, Hammond, Ind.,v assignor to Sub- 1 This invention" relates vin general [to an 4rim-K- proved apparatus andine'thod for concentrating liquids, for example.v Adilute acids, orfficrj'recovering concentrated acids vcontaining contamiL nants. More specifically, theinvention' relates to 'the co i centrationoi dilutelacids by means of v'submerged combustion., l' f j" It has been`found, ,tha t l.the use ofv submerged combustion burners 'toVV heat the dilute facd in a tankis much more efficient vthan former methods used `fer' accomplishing the same result.- lSub'- jmer'ged vcombustionburners have beenused pri 'marily forl other: purposes such as in heating tanksffor example, hot water tanks, orfor heating' pickling baths. ABurners-for suchus'es have "been disclosed invPatent Number2,1 18,479 vto "Theodore'S". -See fet all However, when ""sub merged combustion burners "areA usedffor pure' poses of recovering or concentrating .acidsit has beenj determined to be advisable tov l,use modified forms of burners and a plurality of chambers con` taining progressively concentrated acid, with a lburner in eachv chamber. The operation ofwsucli burnersfas-are disclosed herein is conventional. One 'of the principal 'objects of thepresent'invention is to provide', an apparatusv in which a 'diluteo'r' less concentrated" liquid can be Vpassed into one portion thereof and a more lconcentrated liquid 'can be "withdrawn Y at another portion j ther fcb'ject" of-"t'he "invention is' to provide a'tankhaving' a plurality of connecting cham- ?bers'thereimeach'cf which'chamber contains an acid lof progressively increasing concentration and' in=which` the dilute acid can be-a'dded to the `ilr's'tchamber and the concentrated acid Withdravs'rr' from-'the lastchamber. f fihi-further vobje'c'tf'of the invention is the pro- 'vis'ion lof ai tank-divided -into a'plurality of chambers wherein each chamber is provided with submerged combustionY burner for heating the 'acid -contained in each chamber by passing the combustion gases through the acidand vaporizing'some ofthe'wateror driving off the contaminants' contained therein, thus leaving a more concentratedacid 1 ,:A 'stillfurther object of the invention is to pro- )vide a new andvimproved method for concentratingacids. f

Still another object is to provide an improved :method of concentrating dilute acidsby utilizing "the combustion gases of a submerged combustion .,bumer; l i i Other objects and vadvantage'sof the invention will befapparent by reference to vthe following merged' Combustion Company of America, Inc.,v

' Hammond, In'd.,a corporation .of Indiana.

l' e Appiiafiirjapiie, 1946,' serial No. 660,639

zrclaims. (C1. zs-zvs) description inv conjunction with the a'f'zcompar'iyingI drawing ingwhich: f A 1 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the con centrator or tank used in concentrating the vvdilute Fig. 2 isa somewhat enlarged fragmentary'vertical section through `ajconcentrato'r'having Aa modiiied form of submerged combustion means;

Fig. 3'is a vertical transverse ,section through the apparatus of Fig; 2, and Y f "1'Fig. Iltisvk afurther modification vof mergedv combustion burner. I ."In all kforms of the invention I provider ajta'nk which isidivided intol a plurality of ccnnecting chambers to enable the acid topass progressively f rom'one chamber to the next. In each cham'- 'ber I provide a submerged 'combustion' burner the vadaptedtoY be ignited whereby the combustion gases will 'pass through the acid to provide an eiiicient heat exchange', thus'heating the vacid andrvaporizing some ofthe water or volatilizing the contaminants hereinto lproduce a more con# centratedjacid. i

In rone 'form ofl burnerI provide an'ginturne'd flange'at the lower end thereof which hasl certain Aadvantages which will be more fully r'described hereinafter. Another'form of the invention utllizes two such burners so. arranged as to distribute the combustion gasesbelow 'a perforated plate. vand a still further form contemplates "the usage of a serrated lower. edge on the outer'casing 'of theburner.A f 1. f While the invention described herein has'particular reference to merely concentrating a dilute acid, it will be understood that the apparatus and process are equally applicableforiuse in recover'- ing concentrated acids containing contaminants. Referring 'now more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that in Fig. 1 an elongatedV tank is provided having an outer steel covering l2 with- .in which a lining 4 is located which may prefer- -ably be formed of lead. As an additional protection, a lining of acid resistant brick 6 may alsobe. provided within the lead lining. 1

The tank, as shown, is divided into chambers 8, I0, I2, I4, I6, and I8, by means of the parti# tions 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28. An inlet conduit 30 -extends through one end of the tank-into the rst chamber 8 and permits dilute acid or'lother liquid to pass therein. At the opposite'end'ef'the tank a conduit 32 is provided for drawirgoil the concentrated liquid. When the apparatus is in use each of the chambers 8 through |-8 has a body of `acid located therein, each body being of a progressively higher concentration so that when bustion burner is conventional, as disclosed in the above 'referred to See patent, and, for the'purfsuitable burner plate is located.

In the form of the invention shown inFig.' l

it will be noted that the-lower end of each of the outer .casings has an inturned ange elif The purpose'of this is to build up'fa certain ,amountV oi back pressure which will aidthe 'combustion and: insure the continuity thereof. Eachl of' the partitions r2!) through 28 extend upwardlyv and terminate at substantially the level of the acid so thattherey'lillfbea continuous yflow of .acid from onfechamher tothe next. y

-Duringoperation of the yapparatus as shown in Fig. 1 the combustiong'ases from each of Vthe submerged combustion burners will .pass outwardly through the acidthus .agitatin'gfthe acid andjraising the temperature thereof to a. point whichv .wi-ll either vaporize any water in theacid or,volatiliae thecontaminants thereinor both. .'liius.VVV asLthe 'dilute acid passesinto thef'rst chamber it willbe subjected to thejaction of a.streamof combustion gases produced bythe action of ther :submerged combustion .burner therein. After .acertainv amount .ofY vaporization andjvolatilizationhas taken place, the resulting acid will have aV higher concentration asY it passes into the next succeeding chamberl. The

same action takes place simultaneously in each oftheQchambersso that each succeeding chamloerl willY contain; acid of progressively increasing concentration. The last chamber ljisprovided with .an upwardly extending ue 42 through the roof. ofthe tank, which carries the vapors away Y irolmlthejtank'tobe. disposedof in any desired manner.

` In the modification shown in FigjzY the same form of tank is used and is similarly divided .into a .pluralityfof'chambers, each containing acid of progressively increasing concentration. .The

vmain difference, isfinthe construction of the submer'gd.combustion rneansf,v

i. Ageing .the function and operaties f'tnefsubmerged". combustion burner is conventional, as explainedabovarexcept that fa perforated plate ifsfused in conjunctionv with one or more burners. vIn",k the form' shown', two of such burners are located in each chamber `and *the outer casing of each burner extending beyond the inner `casing 38a is turnedinwardly'toward the' other-at'the lower. end thereof'as at 46. The. 'innerftubular ,memberd issimilar to the member 38. Substantially :centrallyloca'ted in each' chamber is .a

horizontally. 'extending `plate 48, made' of acid Hresistant material, suchA asgraphite, and has-a plurality ofopenings l5ft-therein. As the combustion gaseslleave the Youter 4casing they willbe directed inwardly and beneath the plate` 113 immediately-thereabove, and will pass upwardly Athrough'the openings $0-, 4'Ihisform ofthe-in- 4 vention is designed to increase agitation of the acid and provides excellent heat exchange qualities. If desired. however, only one such burner need be used in the center of the plate to direct the gases outwardly therebelow. The function of the burners, however, is the same as explained above with respect tc the form of the invention.. shown in Figs. l, and provides an irnproved apparatus and; method. for concentrating dilute acids.

Fig. 4 shows a still further modined form of the submerged combustion burner wherein the inner member 38h is also similar to the member 38.` but the lower end o the outer tubular member'52.,is serratedas at 54.V This serrated lower edge isso designed as to break up and permit even distribution of the combustion gases as they leave the lower end of the outer casing to bev passed through and agitate the acid within the chamber.

If Ydesired,`the Lspace within the burner and between .the 'inner tubular. member `3'8'."..arid the outer. Ycasing 36 can 'be vutilized. .for the'. addition offchemicalsior specific purposes.. I

IWhilel have. described my: invention herein. for the ,most part, as, relating tothe. concentrate ing of acids, it is to be understood thatthe apparatus. andv method.y can be .usedior thev concentration. ofany suitableliqu'id'.. f" Y 1 From, the.. foregoing Y. it. will ,bel evident that I have provided new and novel anpratiisy and method .for the use` ,off submergedl'combustion burners in the concentrationjofdilute acids. It `will also. be clear'. that. certain changes. may. be mad-einthe form and'construction of the apparatus disclosed. herein by those skilledinthe art .without in. any, way departingfrom ,thes'pzrit' 'chambers .connected in series. and.y adapted. to

containacidto be concentrated, means` for-.continuouslyv passingdilute acid .into the. firstY ofsaid chambers,vv means for continuously'r withdrawing concentrated acid from'- the-last ofsaid chambers, a plurality of tubular submerged cgmbus tionburners spaced ineach ofl saidchambers,

the discharge ends of saidiburnersbeinggdirected n n inwardly of their respective jehamber,W and Vtoward eachother, and asi-ibmergedperforated plate extending horizontally above thev bottom of each chamber and y immediately# above and -overlying the discharge ends-ofthe'burners therein. whereby to. distribute the:Y combustion .gasesf through said acid and vaporizea; portion of the water therefrom.- y f 1::

Y `2.A An appa-ratus--iorr.concentrating.dilute acids comprising a pluralityl ofinterccmmunicating f 4chambers .connected in-fseries; and adapted: to contain v.acid -to -beconcentrated; meansfiorY conjt-inuously passing'Y dilute.- acid` into 1 the first v.l r.of said chambers, means for continuouslyrwithvdrawir'ig concentrated. acidY fronitatlietilastf `of said chambers, a plurality 4oitubularsubmerged come bustion burners depending in spacedifrelaationi-in eachchamber, each 1 of... said burners:y including yspacedinner and outer tubular :mem-bers adapted to`v mixy and pass acombustible mixturefthere through and having the outer tubular member extending' beyond vthe -inner member and :turned inwardly ofz' the respective chamber. -andfa sub- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Mast Jan. 23, 1934 Patterson Jan. 15, 1918 Ellis June 11, 1929 Doennecke July 13, 1937 See et al. May 24, 1938 Maude Sept. 28, 1943 Voogd Apr. 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS .Country Date Great Britain Nov. 12, 1925 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING DILUTE ACIDS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INTERCOMMUNICATING CHAMBERS CONNECTED IN SERIES AND ADAPTED TO CONTAIN ACID TO BE CONCENTRATED, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PASSING DILUTE ACID INTO THE FIRST OF SAID CHAMBERS, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING CONCENTRATED ACID FROM THE LAST OF SAID CHAMBERS, A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR SUBMERGED COMBUSTION BURNERS SPACED IN EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS, THE DISCHARGE ENDS OF SAID BURNERS BEING DIRECTED INWARDLY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CHAMBER AND TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND A SUBMERGED PERFORATED PLATE EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF EACH CHAMBER AND IMMEDIATELY ABOVE AND OVERLYING THE DISCHARGE ENDS OF THE BURNERS THEREIN, WHEREBY TO DISTRIBUTE THE COMBUSTION GASES THROUGH SAID ACID AND VAPORIZE A PORTION OF THE WATER THEREFROM. 